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Daniel Penny pleads not guilty to revised charges in chokehold death of Jordan Neely on NYC subway

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:50:53 GMT

NEW YORK (AP) — A U.S. Marine veteran pleaded not guilty Wednesday to revised charges in the fatal chokehold of a man who was behaving erratically on a New York City subway train.Daniel Penny, 24, pleaded not guilty to second-degree manslaughter and criminally negligent homicide in the May 1 death of Jordan Neely, a former Michael Jackson impersonator who was shouting and begging for money when Penny pinned him to the floor of the moving subway car with the help of two other passengers and held him in a chokehold for more than three minutes.Neely, 30, lost consciousness during the struggle, which was recorded by a bystander.The arraignment lasted mere minutes. Penny, who is free on bond, only uttered the words “not guilty” before he left the courtroom with his lawyers.Penny was initially arrested on the manslaughter charge in May, but a grand jury earlier this month added the negligent homicide count, potentially giving a trial jury the option of finding him guilty of the lesser cha...

Gymnastics star Simone Biles returning to competition in August in first meet since 2020 Olympics

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:50:53 GMT

Simone Biles is back.The gymnastics superstar plans to return to competition at the U.S. Classic outside Chicago in early August, her first event since the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.USA Gymnastics announced Wednesday that Biles, a seven-time Olympic medalist and the 2016 Olympic champion, is part of the women’s field for the single-day event set for Aug. 5 at NOW Arena in Hoffman Estates.Biles has taken most of the last two years off following her eventful stay in Japan, where her decision to remove herself from multiple events to focus on her mental health shifted the focus from the games themselves to the overall wellness of the athletes.She served as a cheerleader as her American teammates won the team silver then sat out the all-around, vault and floor exercise finals she had qualified for while dealing with what is known as “the twisties” — a gymnastics term for when an athlete loses their spatial awareness when airborne.Biles returned for the balance beam final, where she won ...

Simone Biles to return to gymnastics at Chicago area competition

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:50:53 GMT

Simone Biles is back.The gymnastics superstar plans to return to competition at the U.S. Classic outside Chicago in early August, her first event since the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.USA Gymnastics announced Wednesday that Biles, a seven-time Olympic medalist and the 2016 Olympic champion, is part of the women's field for the single-day event set for Aug. 5 at NOW Arena in Hoffman Estates.Biles has taken most of the last two years off following her eventful stay in Japan, where her decision to remove herself from multiple events to focus on her mental health shifted the focus from the games themselves to the overall wellness of the athletes.She served as a cheerleader as her American teammates won the team silver then sat out the all-around, vault and floor exercise finals she had qualified for while dealing with what is known as “the twisties” — a gymnastics term for when an athlete loses their spatial awareness when airborne.Biles returned for the balance beam final, where she won a bron...

Liam Hendriks gets an award for perseverance after beating cancer

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:50:53 GMT

CHICAGO — Once again, Liam Hendriks' successful battle to overcome cancer and return to Major League Baseball has earned him an honor. ESPN announced this morning that White Sox pitcher Liam Hendriks will receive the Jimmy V Award for perseverance after his return to the team after beating non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. .He'll receive the honor at the 2023 ESPYS on July 12. .@WGNNews pic.twitter.com/NTmRTqeb4O— Larry Hawley (@HawleySports) June 28, 2023The White Sox closer will receive The Jimmy V Award for Perseverance from ESPN during their annual "ESPYS" award show that will be held in Los Angeles on July 12. The award bears the name of the late Jim Valvano, the national championship-winning coach of the North Carolina State men's basketball team, who died of cancer in 1993.Hendriks is being recognized first for beating stage 4 non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, undergoing four rounds of chemotherapy from January through April. He then began to work back into shape over the course of...

Retirement talk surrounding Thomas, Alito raises stakes for 2024 election 

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:50:53 GMT

(The Hill) – Lawmakers are looking ahead to the 2024 election as a pivotal opportunity to shape the future of the Supreme Court because of the possibility that conservative Justices Clarence Thomas, 75, and Samuel Alito, 73, could retire.  Democrats are worried that if Biden loses and the GOP wins the Senate majority, it could allow a GOP president to replace both men with younger conservatives who could rule far into the future.  “It’s critical. President Biden, who I feel confident will be reelected, needs to be able to put more judges on the bench, federal judges, including Supreme Court. It is absolutely critical that the Senate remain in Democratic hands,” said Sen. Debbie Stabenow (D-Mich.), who will retire at the end of next year.    Alito caught in crosshairs of latest Supreme Court scandal Stabenow warned that if Republicans flip the White House and Senate and replace Thomas and Alito with younger conservatives, “it would be devastating for anyone who ...

Simone Biles returning to gymnastics competition in August for 1st time since 2020 Olympics

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:50:53 GMT

Simone Biles is back.The gymnastics superstar plans to return to competition at the U.S. Classic outside Chicago in early August, her first event since the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.USA Gymnastics announced Wednesday that Biles, a seven-time Olympic medalist and the 2016 Olympic champion, is part of the women's field for the single-day event set for Aug. 5 at NOW Arena in Hoffman Estates.Biles has taken most of the last two years off following her eventful stay in Japan, where her decision to remove herself from multiple events to focus on her mental health shifted the focus from the games themselves to the overall wellness of the athletes.She served as a cheerleader as her American teammates won the team silver then sat out the all-around, vault and floor exercise finals she had qualified for while dealing with what is known as “the twisties” — a gymnastics term for when an athlete loses their spatial awareness when airborne.Biles returned for the balance beam final, where she won a bron...

Dogs rescued from China's meat trade arrive in California

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:50:53 GMT

(KTLA) – Nearly two dozen dogs rescued from China's meat trade arrived in Southern California on Tuesday, their first stop before heading to their forever homes scattered across the United States.  Animal lovers, activists and city leaders came together in Inglewood for the grand opening of Rue’s Kennels at Los Angeles International Airport. The shelter, which organizers say is the first of its kind, is a nonprofit animal care facility built to help rescue dogs from around the world.  “So, the animals will be examined by me, and they will receive another rabies vaccine, even if they came in with paperwork,” veterinarian Karen Dochalligan told Nexstar's KTLA.   Sick sea lions biting people at California beaches The latest so-called “freedom flight” carried 16 golden retrievers, two corgis, a poodle and a malamute, all of whom were rescued from the meat trade in China.  While the practice of consuming dog meat is unthinkable in North America, it can be somewhat common in...

Sheriff's Office: 3 arrested, charged in Travis County mail theft ring

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:50:53 GMT

TRAVIS COUNTY (KXAN) -- Three people were arrested and charged in connection to what the Travis County Sheriff's Office said was an organized mail theft ring. The suspects were each charged with theft of mail ID info and engaging in organized criminal activity, which are first-degree felonies, according to TCSO. Cases of check fraud escalate dramatically, with Americans warned not to mail checks if possible The suspects were identified by TCSO and are listed below:Adam Timothy Liveoak, 45Amy Deanne Liveoak, 46Andrew Timothy Liveoak, 25Adam Timothy Liveoak, 45Amy Deanne Liveoak, 46Andrew Timothy Liveoak, 25Left to right: Adam Timothy Liveoak, Amy Deanne Liveoak, Andrew Timothy Liveoak. All three were arrested and charged in connection to what the Travis County Sheriff's Office said was an organized mail theft ring. (Travis County Sheriff's Office Photos)TCSO said the three are suspected of stealing mail containing victims' personal identification and credit card information. Inves...

Police say Moorhead teen’s fatal shooting was accidental, occurred while youths handled gun

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:50:53 GMT

MOORHEAD, Minn. — The fatal shooting of a 13-year-old boy last week in Moorhead has been ruled an accident, police said.Police identified the victim as Zain Hussein Mezher of Moorhead.The teenager died of an “accidental gunshot wound” on Friday, police said.“The incident is tragic, and our sympathies go out to the family and friends of those involved,” the Moorhead Police Department said Monday. “There is no danger to the public, and the incident is still under investigation.”Police responded at about 6:10 p.m. Friday to a report of a shooting in the 1000 block of 19th Street South.A group of youths had obtained a handgun and had it in a wooded area near Romkey Park when it went off, police said.The bullet hit Zain, police said. Emergency workers tried to save his life, but he died of his injuries.Authorities are investigating how the children acquired the weapon, Moorhead Police Capt. Deric Swenson said. The gun was recovered by police, police said.It’s unclear if charges will be f...

State authorities detail SWAT team shooting of suspect in St. Joseph

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:50:53 GMT

ST. JOSEPH, Minn. — The Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension has released the names of the people involved in a police use-of-force incident on June 21 in St. Joseph.Jason Patrick Cully, 38, of St. Joseph, was shot once when members of the Stearns/Benton County SWAT Team served a warrant for his arrest, according to a Minnesota Department of Public Safety news release.Stearns County Deputy Tyler Thunstedt fired his department rifle, striking Cully, according to the release. Thunstedt, who has eight years of law enforcement experience, is on standard administrative leave.St. Joseph police officers responded June 20 to reports of a man making threats of violence, according to the release. When they made contact, the man, identified as Cully, pointed a gun at officers and then ran away. Officers could not find him. Cully repeatedly called the police department that night and continued to make threats of violence. The Stearns County Attorney’s Office issued a warrant for Cully̵...